Mats



Feb. 11, 1958 K. M. FLORENTINE 2,822,553

MATS

Filed Nov. 26, 1952 INVENTOR KATHRYN M. FLORENTINE ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent MATS Kathryn M. Florentine, Brooklyn, N. Y. ApplicationNovember 26, 1952, Serial No. 323,157

2 Claims. (Cl. 4-185) This invention relates to novel articles ofmanufacture and more particularly to novel and unique mats for bath tubsand showers. In one of its more specific aspects the invention isdirected to providing novel and unique protective and hygienic bath tuband shower mats which may be used in a bath tub or shower floor or baseto assure safe footing, thus reducing the chances of accidents whichsometimes occur due to slippage caused .by the presence of soapy wateron the base of the shower or tub in the course of tubbing or showering.The novel and unique bath tub and shower mats of this invention may becomposed of a wide variety of inexpensive materials which are readilyavailable on the market in very great quantities. The unique and novelmats of this invention may be sold very cheaply, therefore it would beeconomically sound to subject them to a one-time use only and disposingof them. In addition, they are readily and easily disposable in anyconvenient manner and, in general, may be crumpled up into a small balland placed in a waste basket found in the average bathroom in thiscountry. Moreover, they may be easily and readily packaged for shipment,storage and replacement, and when packaged, such packages may be mountedfor ready dispensability of the individual mats by either a coincontrolled device or otherwise.

These as well as other objects and advantages of the present inventionwill in part be obvious from the following description and appendeddrawing wherein;

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a novel and unique mat for showers andbathtubs illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig. 1 in thedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention for use specificallyin showers or shower stalls.

I As shown in the drawing, the novel and unique mats of this inventioncomprise a sheet of appropriate material. The sheet may consist of anelongated body 11 terminating at one end in a short narrow tab orextension 12. The width of the body 11 is preferably just slightly lessthan the corresponding interior dimension of the normal bath tub or thatof the shower room floor. The sum of its length and that of the tab 12is less than the interior length of the tub base or shower floor. Thelength of sheet 10 is such that practically all of the base of a normaltub or shower room floor is covered. The thickness of the mat 10 issmall and for most purposes, according to this invention, the mat 10 iscomposed of paper-thin material. The composition of the mat 10 ispreferably of cellulose or cellulose derivatives commonly employed formaking paper of various thickness. I prefer that it be a paper which isinsoluble and will not break up and fall apart when immersed in waterfor at least 20 minutes, and will remain intact in soapy running waterfor at least 20 minutes. Some of the papers on the market which may beemployed are those known as Patapar vegetable parchment papers, theso-called oil and grease proof papers employed for wrapping and seal ingvarious fats and fat containing food products, the socalled wax-papersand the like, all of which are available in large quantities at very lowcost. All of them are capable of being rolled, creased and folded andwhen in the sizes of the mats of this invention may be easily andreadily crumpled by hand for ready and easy disposal in a waste basket.Still another class of materials which may be employed for mats 10 arematted alpha cellulose which may be impregnated with a wax, resin orother water-resistant binder to coat and bind the fibers together.However, I prefer to employ said parchment papers because of theircharacteristics of water resistance and high wet strength and alsobecause their surfaces are not too slippery when wet.

As shown in the drawing, the sheet 10 may be embossed in any desiredmanner. In one of the aspects of the invention the marginal sides andends of the sheet 10 are embossed to provide a continuous perimeter bandconsisting of a series of normally upwardly extending embossings 13. Theembossings may be of any desired shape, but should be of such shape asto be readily andquickly recognizable by feeling through the heels andsoles of the feet. They may be a series of upwardly extending smallknobs or teats. The series of embossings 13 being disposed on theperimeter margin of the sheet 10 serve as a safety indicator.

The tab 12 may also be embossed to provide a plurality of centrallydisposed embossings. These embossings 14 extend normally downwardly andconsist essentially of a plurality of knobs, teats or cones havingopenings at the apex ends thereof. The open-ended teats or cones 14 arein spaced relationship to each other and the spacing thereof is suchthat they will fit into the openings through the outlet cap normally atone end of the bottom of a bath tub.

Also, if desired, that portion of the sheet 10 in the area within theteats 13 may be embossed to provide a striated area whose feel to thefeet is quite different from that of the teats 13. Such striations byelongated embossings 15 serve to further increase the safety factor ofthe mat.

Such novel and unique mats of the type heretofore described may bereadily embossed by a single embossing operation to provide the holdingand retaining embossings 14 and also to provide the other embossings 13and 15 described above. Such a mat may be placed in position by locatingthe teats 14 into the openings of the drain cap and the mat is disposedalong the tub bottom or shower floor. When the bather stands on the mat,for safety his feet will rest on the embossings 15 and if in the courseof movement of the bather, a foot strikes the safety-indicatorembossings 13, he immediately is apprized by the feel thereof that he isapproaching the outside of the safety zone. The mat, due to itscomposition, aids in preventing slipping.

As indicated before, one of the primary purposes of the invention is toprovide a hygienic protector for the bathers feet, in preventing anyfungus aflliction originating from the use of shower baths or bath tubsin public places, such ashotels, motels, and the like. Many personsrefrain from taking a bath in such places because of a dread ofacquiring some disease of the foot. With the use of this invention, thebather may utilize a disposable mat which is obtained easily for a smallnominal cost.

After the bather has removed himself from the bath and the used waterhas drained out of the tub and through the teats 14 to the drain, hair,curds or other matter which would otherwise settle on the base of thetub or shower room will be on the mat 10 and is re- Patented eb. '1 1,8:

moved: together: With-:1 the; mat, which may now be crumpled up andplaced in the normal bathroom waste and diflferentembodiments of the;invention could be,

made, without departing from; the scope. thereof, it is intended thatall& matter contained in the above description shalbbe'interpreted-asillustrative and not in a limiting sense. may also bemade of plasticmaterial which is readily and easily made, utilized,and disposed of.

It isalsoto be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope ofthe-invention, which as amatter of language might,- be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

. 1. A.bath mat or the like being a single sheet of paper resistant towater and having high wet strength and of such size-forcovering. asubstantial portion of the bottom ofa normal bath tub or shower room,normally down- Wardly extending open ended embossings at one end of saidsheet capable of being inserted into the openings of a bath tub draincap, said mat being capable of remaining, intact while in use, and afteruse being capable of beingcrumpled for disposal.

For example, it is conceivable that the mat 2'; A bath mat or the likebeing a single sheet of water resistant, hiah-w t-st n th pane: f u h, sze, as, o cover a substantial portionof the bottom of a normal bath tubor shower room, a plurality of normally upwardly extending embossingsalong the margins of the sides and one end thereof, a plurality ofnormally downwardly extending open ended embossings at the other endthereof capable of heing-v inserted into openings of a bath tub draincap, said mat being capable of remaining intact while in use, and afteruse being capable of being readily crumpledfor disposal.

References Cited-in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,865,459 Edmonds July 5, 1932 1,887,200 Hand Nov. 8, 1932 2,018,244Alm' Oct. 22, 1935 2,291,079 Hofierbert July.28,' 1942' 2,291,080Hofierbert July 28, 1942 2,325,302 Britt July 27, 1943 2,471,008 PrettyMay 24, 1949 2,596,735 Suarez s May 1-3,, 1952. 2,698,441. Shobe Jan. 4,1955

